Calendar clock mechanism



Oct. 6, 1936. A. P. NEYHART 2,056,905

CALENDAR CLOCK MECHANISM Filed Oct. 2, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I. HF 51 557 9 22!. 57 E ii 9 2/ 59 Aria/Ur P g 7/ 1 J0 10 60 INVENTOR.

54 BM %X\ 4 2 63 ATTORNEY A. P. NEYHAFET CALENDAR CLOCK MECHAN I SM Oct. 6, 1936.

Filed Oct. 2, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheei;

TTORNE Y Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE of one-half to Kenneth Calif.

Application October 2, 1

16 Claims.

This invention relates to and has for a general object the provision of a calendar mechanism adapted to beconnected with a clock in such a manner that the proper day of the week, day of the month and month will be visibly indicated on or through the dial of the clock, in addition to the hours and minutes indicated by the clock mechanism; and additionally contemplates the provision of means operated by the power of the clock mechanism, whereby the day of the week and day of the month indications will be automatically changed at the close of each day of twenty-four hours, and the month indication will, likewise, be changed automatically at the end of the last day of each month, except in leap years, regardless of the number of days in a month.

More specifically, this invention contemplates the combination with a clock mechanism and a dial for indicating the time of the day, of a set of dials or discs which will be hereinafter referred to as indicators, independently rotatable and operatively connected with the driven spindle of the clock mechanism, and provided with means engageable with and under the control of a regulating means driven from the clock mechanism, for automatically advancing the day of the week indicator and the day of the month indicator at the close of each day of a month, and selectively arranged for advancing the day of the month indicator one, two or four steps at the close of the last day of each calendar month, and for advancing the month indicator one step at the close of the last day of each month.

Another object is to provide a simple and efiective means for setting the indicators at proper positions in the event that the clock to which-my improvements may be attached may be stopped. Still other objects may appear as the description progresses.

I prefer to associate my improvements with an electrically actuated clock mechanism having a dial for indicating the time of day and a power operated spindle to which the hour and minute hands of the clock are connected for operation. In such event I provide a gear driven actuator which is capable of rotation at but one-half the speed of the hour hand of the clock, i. e. said actuator makes but one complete revolution in each period of twenty-four hours.

Said actuator is preferably associated directly with the peripheries of the day of the week, day of the monthand month indicators, through the instrumentality of a detent which is under the control of the actuator and serves to prevent the rotation of all of the indicators except at the prop- T. Norris, Los Angeles,

933, Serial No. 691,765 (Cl. 58-5) er times, and then only to proper extent, for coordinating the calendar with the clock mechanism. The detent is preferably adjustable in order that it may be released from the actuator and also from the indicators, and manually operable means is provided for regulating and effecting the release of said detent when it may become necessary to set the calendar mechanism, as when the clock may have stopped.

In general I have sought to provide a calendar clock mechanism of maximum simplicity and durability which is capable of production at a minimum cost. Such a mechanism is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a clock embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the calendar indicating mechanism, with the face of the clock removed;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan on line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlargedfragmentary section on line 65 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a face view of the calendar setting device; as seen from line 11 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a typical face view of one of a set of friction plates adapted to be fixed to the driving spindle of the clock and associated with and for imparting movement to the calendar indicators, thus partaking of the nature of clutches;

Fig. 9 is a face view of a spring washer aflixed to the end of the clock spindle for holding the indicators and their driving plates in frictional contact;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary enlarged front view of the indicators positioned in readiness for a transfer from the 28th day of February to the 1st day of March;

Fig. 11 is a view of said indicators showing their relative positions at the completion of a transfer movement from February 28th to March 1st;

Fig. 12 is a similar view of the indicators preparatory to a change from January 31st to February 1st;

Fig. 13 is a similar view of the same at the completion of said change;

Fig. 14 is a similar view of the indicators preparatory to a change from a month of 30 days, as in April, to the first day of a succeeding month;

Fig. 15 is a view of the same at the completion of the change in date suggested in Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary face view of the day of the week indicator;

Fig. 17 is a similar view of the day of the month indicator;

Fi 18 is a full face view of the month indicator;

Fig. 19 is a side view of a calendar indicator setting cam;

Fig. 20 is a diagram showing a projection of the setting cam for indicating different positions of the cam with respect to the calendar indicators.

Briefiy described, my improved calendar mechanism is adapted to be associated with a suitable clock C having a dial D and a motor driven mechanism E suitably mounted in a case F. A typical clock mechanism usually includes a pair of spaced plates I and 2 which are spaced apart and secured together by means of spacers 3, 3, etc., and the dial D is held on the front of the frame thus provided, while the mechanism E is suitably supported between or on said plates.

In many clock mechanisms a driven spindle 4 is provided on which an hour hand 5 and a minute hand 6 is mounted coaxially. Minute-hand 6 is fixed ,to spindle 4 and the hour-hand 5 isoperated from shaft I through gears 4', I, 8 and 9. Gear 4' is fixed to shaft 4 and gear 9 is loose on -shaft 4.

It will be noted that I provide but two additional gears for operating the calendar mechanism of my invention, and that gear I6 is preferably arranged on the inner side of plate I on a pin II secured to said plate and is meshed with and driven by gear 9 on spindle 4. Gear I0 is of a ratio of two to one with respect to gear 9, so that it will make but one complete revolution for each two revolutions of gear 9, or one revolution in every twenty-four hours.

Gear 9 may be provided as shown in Fig. 6 with an extended shaft or hub I2 which is bored to telescope the spindle 4, and additionally, with a circular plate I3 forwardly of the plate I, and the hour hand 5 is secured to the outer end of said hub. I employ the shaft or hub I2 as a support for the three indicators I4, I5 and I6, representing the days of the week, the days of the month'and the months of a year, and also for a corresponding number of friction driving plates, as shown in Fig. 9, as at IT, I8 and I9. An additional and similar plate 20 is also provided externally of the indicator I4.

All of said driving plates are provided with central perforations '2I fitting the shaft or hub I2 and with inwardly projecting teeth 22 which commonly engage a keyway 23 in said shaft or hub. Thus the plates I 'I, I3, I9 and 20 are fixed to and for rotation with the spindle 4. The indicators I4, I5 and I6, however are centrally bored as at 24 so as to loosely fit the shaft or hub I2. The extended forward portion of said shaft or hub I2 has an annular groove 25 thereon which is engaged by a radially slotted spring washer 26 of concave cross section, the slot 21 therein being adapted to engage the groove 25 in shaft or hub I2.

The washer 26 serves to hold the friction driving plates l1, l8, I9 and 20 in friction engagement with the calendar indicators to which they are adjacent, whereby the continuous rotation of hub I2 tends to impart corresponding movement to the indicators, The movement of the indicators, except at the close of each day is prevented by means hereinafter described.

By reference to Fig. 16 it will be observed that the day of the week indicator I4, which is the outermost of the set of indicators, has marked thereon, in annular arrangement and at regularly spaced points, the abbreviations for the days of the week, in sequence, as at 28, 23 etc. There being seven days of the week, the indicator is subdivided into seven segments of uniform size and outwardly of each day designation a T- shaped aperture is provided in the indicator, as at 29, 29, etc.

Radially opposite each of the apertures 29 and the day designations 28 the periphery of indicator I4 is provided with a notch 36. The bottoms of all of the notches 30 are at uniform distances from the axis of spindle 4, and the intermediate arcuate portions 3|, 3|, etc., are also concentric with the axis of spindle 4 and are of a common radius.

On corresponding sides of the notches 30 teeth 32 are correspondingly formed and extend outwardly for corresponding distances from the peripheral portions 3|; also the corresponding edges of said teeth form continuations. on radial, lines, of corresponding lateral edges of the notches 30.

The day of the month indicator I5, which is the innermost of the set of indicators, is provided with regularly spaced and annularly arranged numerals, as at 33, representing days of the month, in sequence from 1 to 31 inclusive, thus subdividing this indicatorinto thirtyonesegments. Radially opposite each of the day of the month designations 33 a peripheral notch 34 is formed which is in all respects similar in form, size and distance from the axis of spindle 4 to the notches 30 in indicator I4. The notches 34 for all of the day of the month designations, except for the twenty-eighth, thirtieth and thirty-first days of the month are separated by similar arcuate intermediate portions 35 arranged on a circle concentric with spindle 4, and projecting teeth 36 are provided, as on indicator I4, except opposite said twenty-eighth, thirtieth and thirty-first days.

Opposite the twenty-eighth, thirtieth and thirty-first day designations, differently formed peripheral cam segments 31, 3B and 39, respectively, are provided on the indicator I5 intermediate the notches 34,-34, and said cam sections extend outwardly for gradually increasing distances from the portions 35, in the order named. a

It will be observed that, as shown in Fig. 17, the outer edges of the cam sections 31, 38 and 39 are inclined outwardly from their innermost to their outermost extremities and in the direction indicated by the sequence of the day of the month designations in Fig. 17; and left hand lateral edges thereof correspond in form and in position to the similar edges of the teeth 36.

The month indicator I6is provided with regularly spaced and annularly arranged month designations 40 and apertures 4I outwardly therefrom and radially opposite said designations. Said indicator I6 also is provided opposite each of the month designations with peripheral notches 42 which correspond in position and in form to the notches 30 in indicator I4 and 34 in indicator I5.

At corresponding extremities of the notches 42 opposite all months having thirty-one days teeth 43 are formed on the periphery of the indicator I6 which correspond in position to the teeth 32 on indicator I4 and 36 on indicator I5 but are substantially longer than the teeth on said other indicators. Each of themonth segments of indicator I6 has a peripheral arcuate portion 44 corresponding as to distance from the axis of spindle 4 to the similar portions on the day of the week and day of the month indicators, except such segments as are indicated by month abbreviations having less than thirty-one days.

The month segments for February, April, June, September and November are provided, respectively, with cam segments 45, 46, 41, 48 and 43 of variable form and length, corresponding to the number of days in such months. The segment 45 is the longest for the reason that it represents February with but 28 days and its length corresponds to four of the day segments on the day of the month indicator l5, in order that a change may be made to March 1st at the close of February 28th.

April having thirty days, the segment 46 is of a length corresponding to but two of the day segments, and the same is true for the cam segments 41, 48 and 49 opposite the June, September and November designations. All of the cam segments 45, 46, 41, 48 and 49 have outer edges which are inclined from the positions of lowest order to the positions of highest order, according to the sequence of designations on the indicator. For instance, the lowest point on cam segment 45 is opposite the February designation while the highest point thereon is opposite the March designation. The positions named correspond to the designation 28 and 1 on the day of the month indicator. I

At the completion of each operation for changing the date the indicators l4, l5 and 16 'are set so that the notches 30, 34 and- 42 are in lateral registration; also the'aperture 29 on indicator l4 and the aperture 4| on indicator 16, for given dates, will register with each other and with one of the designations on the day of the month indicator l5, as 30 in Fig. 14. Thus the month designation is visible through an aperture 29 of indicator l4, and the day of the month is visible through an aperture 4| of the month indicator and also through an aperture 29 of the day of the week indicator.

A detent 50 is oscillatably and siidably mounted on a transverse shaft 5i which is journaled in plates I and 2 and is extended outwardly from the plate 2 and is provided with a knob 52, by means of which the shaft maybe rotated. Detent 50 has an elongated hub 53 which is slidable on shaft 5| against the tension of a compression spring 54 held on the shaft between hub 53 and plate 2. An elongated pin 55 is fixed to the free end of detent 50 and extends forwardly through plate i and under the indicators l4, l5 and i6 and is adapted to seat in the notches 30, 34 and 42 of said indicators, respectively, when the indicators are at rest, for preventing the movement of the indicators and holding them at proper positions for indicating the dates.

Detent 5D underlies an actuator 56 which may partake of the form of a pin attached to and proiecting from a side of the gear ID. A hump 51 may be provided on the detent 50 for engagement with actuator 56. Thus, as gear 10 completes each revolution, once in each period of twentyfour hours, the actuator 56 will engage the hump 51 of the detent 50, thereby releasing the pin 55 Irom the notches 30 and 34 of the day of the week and day of the month indicators 14 and i5, respectively, so that both of said indicators will be free to rotateto the extent of one day segment for changing the date from one day to the next.

From the first to the next to the last of the month inclusive all operations of the indicators i4 and I5 are similar, the pin 55 being moved sufiiciently to clear the outer ends of the teeth 32 and 36 on the indicators l4 and I5. When so released, the indicators are caused to advance one step each in their rotation by means of the friction applied thereto from the driving plates l1, l8 and I9.

On the last day of each month, however, the operation of the day of the month indicator varies to correspond to the number of days in the expiring month, and the month indicator must also operate at such times for properly changing the month indication on the calendar. As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, at the close of the 28th day of February, it is necessary to skip the 29th, 30th, and 31st day indications on the day of the month indicator in order that the following designation may be the 1st day of March. Thus, opposite the 28th day indication on the indicator l5 the cam section 37 is so positioned that upon the release of the pin 55 of the detent 50 from the notches 30 and 34 of indicators 14 and I5, the initial move ment of indicator l5 in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 10 will move the lower portion of cam segment 31 beneath the pin 55, and during the further movement of indicator l5 the inclined portion of segment 31 will engage and move pin 55 further from the periphery of indicator [5 to a point where it may engage the lower extremity of cam segment 45 on the month indicator IS.

The month indicator, however, is held stationary by the engagement of pin 55 with the radial shoulder at the lowest point on cam 45 opposite the notch 42 until cam 31 has moved the pin 55 into position for engagement with the peripherally inclined edge of cam 45. 'I'hereupon, with the pin 55 in the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 10, the month indicator will be free to rotate by the friction of its driving plates, and the con tinued movement thereof will gradually move pin 55 outwardly from the periphery of indicator l5 so as to clear the cam segments 38 and 39 on the indicator l5, in succession.

When the month indicator has progressed in its movement to a point at the remote end of cam segment 45 the pin 55 will drop behind the end of cam segment 39 upon the adjacent peripheral portion of indicator l5 and will gradually find its way into the notch 34 opposite the day designation 1 on indicator l5. The further movement of the month indicator and the day of the month indicator is prevented by engagement or pin 55 with the teeth 43 and 36 on said indicators, respectively. The day of the week indicator will continue to advance until one of its teeth 32 also engages the pin 55, the day segments on the indicator l4 being substantially longer than the month segments on indicator l6 and the day segments on indicator l5. Each of the day segments on indicator I4 is longer at the periphery than the periphery of cam section 45 on the indicator l6 and exceed the peripheral length of the four day segments on indicator i5 corresponding to the four days from February 28th to March 1st.

As shown in Figs. 12 and 13, when a change is made from the 31st day of a month to the 1st day of a succeeding month the cam segment 33 on indicator I5 is positioned so that upon the release of pin the day of the week indicator I 4 begins to advance, as does also the indicator l5, and the continued movement of indicator [5 further moves the pin 55 by the engagement thereof with the edge of section 39. When the movement of indicator i5 has progressed to a point where the pin 55 is at the remote extremity of segment 33,

said pin 55 will drop upon the peripheral portion and finally find its way into the notch 34 of indicator I 5 and arrest the-movement of said indicator. In the meantime the cam segment 39 will have moved pin 55 sufliciently to clear the tooth 43 opposite the January designation on indicator It, thus releasing the'month indicator. Thereupon the month indicator will continue to rotate until the pin 55 engages the near end of cam segment 45 thereon, and the day of the week indicator will continue to rotate until said pin engages the tooth 32 opposite the proper day of the week designation.

In Figs. 14 and 15 I have shown the relative positions of the three indicators for effecting a change of date from a month having thirty days to the first day of a following month. In this instance the cam segment 38 on indicator I5 is effective for moving the pin 55 into position for engagement with and further movement by the cam segment 46 on indicator I6, thereby successively releasing the day of the week, the day of the month and the month indicators. Ob-

viously as pin 55 disengages cam segment 46 it will arrest the further movement of the indicator I5 and following that will arrest the movement of indicator I6. The indicator It will continue to advance until pin 55 engages the tooth 32 thereon opposite the proper day of the week designation. Cam segment 46 has a length corresponding to but two of the day of the month segments.

No provision is made in this simplified mechanism for changing the date at the end of February in a leap year, and in such case the indicators must be set manually, as hereinafter described. The mechanism described is, however effective, without manual attention, for indicating the changes in date automatically for at least four year periods.

The detent 5D is resiliently held in position for engagement with the actuator 56 and with the indicators I 4, I5 and It, by means of a tension spring 58 which may be attached at its opposite ends, as shown in Fig. 2, to the pin II and the extremity'of the detent, or otherwise.

Shaft 5| which supports the detent 50 carries a setting cam 59 which is fixed thereto and the crowned periphery thereof is adapted to engage a portion 60 of the detent, whereby the detent may be disengaged from the actuator 56 and the indicators I4, I5 and I6, at will. The details of said cam are shown in Figs. 19 and 20. The cam surface is subdivided into positions and sections of different form and length and include a position of rest which is designated as position A; a rather abrupt inclined section terminating at postion B; and a gradually declined section having positions C, D and E thereon at regularly spaced points, said sections being designated on the drawings as 5| and 62, respectively.

Plate 2 is provided with a dial 533 on its outer face concentric with shaft 5I and provided with designations A, "B, C, D and E which correspond to the positions on the cam 59. Knob 52 also has a pointer 55 which visibly indicates the particular position of the cam 59 at all times with respect to detent 5B.

When it is desired to set the indicators I 8, I5 and It, as at the end of February in a leap year, the knob 52 is turned in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 7 to the extent of one-fifth of a revolution, at which the pointer 65 will register with the position "13 on dial 53, and the engagement of the portion 60 of the detent 5D with the section SI of the cam 59 will have retracted the detent 50 and its pin 55 from engagement with the actuator 56 and indicators I4, I6 and I5.

whereupon the indicators may be moved manually to indicate the proper month, day of the month and day of the week. Following the setting of the indicators, the knob 52 is then turned in a clockwise direction for four-fifths of a revolution until the position A on the dial 63 is indicated, at which point the cam 59 will have been completely restored to normal position, and pin 55 will have reengaged the notches in the indicators, preparatory to automatic operation.

Indicators I5, I6 and I4 are reengaged by pin 55, in succession. as the cam 59 reaches positions C, D and E, respectively, and at position A said pin is positioned for reengagement with actuator 56.

It will be understood from a consideration of my invention that though I have shown and described my improved calendar mechanism in connection with a clockv I may operate the same automatically merely as a calendar, by th application of .power thereto from an electric or mechanical motor such as are used in the operation of clock mechanisms.

The simplicity, form and arrangement of the mechanism herein shown and described readily adapts the mechanism to application to clocks which are either operated by spring or electric motors and which are in use, as well as to clocks in the course of manufacture.

When applied to clocks the dial D is provided with an aperture, as shown in Fig. l, of such form and size and so positioned that the month, day of the month and day of the week indications may be visible at the face of the dial. When arranged as shown, the appearance of the clock is unimpaired, and hour and minute of a day, the day of the week, day of the month and month are simultaneously and continuously indicated.

The mechanism is arranged preferably to effect the changes of date at midnight of each day, but may be arranged to make the changes at any other suitable or desired hour of the day.

What I claim, is:

1. A calendar mechanism comprising a power operated shaft, a plurality of superposed indicators having designations thereon, respectively, for the months of a year, the days of a month and the days of a week, all but the innermost of said indicators having apertures through which portions of the inner indicators are simultaneously visible, for indicating the designation of a given date, means for applying power from said shaft to said indicators independently, and means engageable and cooperating with peripheral portions of said indicators for normally holdmg the same against rotation and operative for releasing one or all of said indicators once in each period of a calendar day, for changing the dates indicated thereby.

2. A calendar mechanism as specified in claim 16, including: cooperating means associated with and for regulating the movement of said month and said day of the month indicators, at the end of any month in a calendar year, to correspond to the number of days in a closing month.

3. A calendar mechanism as specified in claim 16, including: manually adjustable means for retracting and extending .said releasable detent means, whereby said indicators may be manually set for a desired date, at will.

4. A calendar mechanism comprising a driving means timed to rotate at a fixed ratio relative to the number of hours in a calendar day, a plurality of indicators coaxially mounted and provided with month, day of the month and day of the week designations thereon, respectively, friction driving elements engaging said indicators and connected with said driving means, a detent common to and for engagement with and for normally holding said indicators stationary in the intervals between the date; changing periods, and an actuator operatively )connected with said driving means and with said indicators, for automatically and selectively releasing said indicators at corresponding times in each calendar day, for indicating successive dates of a year.

5. A calendar mechanism as specified in claim 4, including: cooperating means on said indicators engageable with said detent, for regulating the operation of said indicators at the close of each calendar month, to correspond to the number of days in a closing month.

6. A calendar mechanism as specified in claim 4, including: manually adjustable means for extending and retracting said detent, so as to render said indicators operative r inoperative, at will.

7. A calendar mechanism as specified in claim 4, including: means formed in all but the innermost of said indicators, for rendering the calendar designations on all of said indicators simultaneously visible.

8. A calendar mechanism comprising a power operated means including a shaft, a plurality of indicators having designations thereon, respectively, for the months of a year, the days of a month and the days of a week, said indicators being arranged in superposed relation for indicating successive dates, means for establishing independent driving connections between said indicators and said shaft for rotation, a detent common to all of said indicators for normally holding said indicators stationary in the intervals between the date changing periods, and means for operably connecting said detent with said power operated means for selectively releasing certain of said indicators once in each calendar day, for changing the dates indicated, said indicators having peripheral portions adapted to be engaged by said detent.

9. A-calendar mechanism as specified in claim 8, said indicators having peripheral segments for eifecting the operation of the day of the month indicator at the end of certain months, to correspond to the number of days less than thirtyone days in said months.

10. A calendar mechanism as specified in claim 8, including peripheral means on the day of the month indicator for releasing and rendering the month indicator operative for changing the month designation at the end of the month.

11. A calendar mechanism as specified in claim 8, including peripheral means on the day of the month indicator for releasing and rendering the month indicator operative for changing the month designation at the end of a month, and peripheral means on the month indicator for varying the movement of the day of the month indicator to correspond to the number of days in a closing month.

12. A calendar mechanism as specified in claim 8, including manually adjustable means for releasing said detent from said indicators for the resetting thereof, at will.

13. A calendar mechanism comprising a power operated mechanism including a shaft, a plurality of co-axially mounted indicators arranged on corresponding faces thereof with month, day of the month and day of the week designations, respectively, means for operativelyconnecting said indicators with said power operated mechanism for independent operation, detent means and peripheral means on said indicators engageable with said detent means for normally holding said indicators stationary between the rate changing periods, and means for operably connecting said detent means with said power operated mechanism whereby said indicators may be selectively released for rotation at the end of each calendar day, for indicating the successive dates in a year.

14. A calendar mechanism as specified in claim 13, including: cooperating peripheral means on said indicators, for regulating the movement of said month and said day of the month indicators, at the end of any month in a calendar year, to correspond to the number of days in a closing month. 7

15. A calendar mechanism as specified in claim 13, including: means for manually adjusting said detent, for setting said indicators at will.

16. A calendar mechanism comprising a power operated mechanism including a shaft, a plurality of indicators coaxially mounted on said shaft and provided with month, day of the month and day of the week designations thereon, respectively, frictional driving elements on said shaft engaging and for rotating said indicators independently, a detent means, means on the peripheries of the said indicators engageable with said detent means for holding said indicators stationary in the intervals between date changing periods, and means operatively connecting said detent means with said power operated mechanism, for releasing said detent from and to eifect the selective rotation of said indicators at corresponding periods in each calendar day, for changing the dates indicated thereby, successively.

ARTHUR P. NEYHART. 

